Category: PM News

A wave of outrage is sweeping through Nigeria’s Christian community as prominent pastors express frustration over the country’s unending violence, following fresh attacks in several parts of the country.

The latest, an attack on a branch of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Oke Isegun during a Tuesday evening service in Eruku town, Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State .

The over five minutes video from the CAC Church captured the final moments before the terrorists struck and the rampaging action of the terrorists in the church has been circulating on the social media.

Pastor Jerry Eze, founder of Streams of Joy International, was among the first to react, declaring: “About time. GOD OF JUDGEMENT SPARE NO ENEMY OF NIGERIA AND THEIR SPONSORS IN JESUS NAME. Enough is Enough of this Banditry, Terrorism and Wickedness. FIRE ”

Gospel singer and minister Dunsin Oyekan also voiced his shock, posting: “And we have a government oooo Haba! This is too much”

Pastor Emmanuel Iren, Lead Pastor of Celebration Church International, criticized the burden placed on citizens who already cater for their own basic needs. He wrote: “For a Country where most people already provide their own water, electricity and everything, we shouldn’t have to also provide our own security. We have a government. This monstrosity cannot continue.”

Their reactions came just as the founder of Kingsway International Christian Centre, Pastor Matthew Ashimolowo, publicly questioned the Federal Government’s inability to end terrorism in Nigeria for more than 15 years, describing the country’s insecurity as a “multi-headed crisis.”

Speaking at a press conference ahead of his Chris Compassion to the Rural World crusade, Ashimolowo said the insecurity problem had taken the shape of “a snake with five heads or more.”

He noted that despite years of killings, displacement and attacks across Nigeria, the root causes of violence have been left to fester.

Ashimolowo anchored his concerns not only on current events but on decades of lived experience.

“Let me give my background. I was born in Zaria. I was born in the military barracks and I grew up in Zaria So my answer does not come out of just newspaper but with experience,” he said.

He recalled witnessing the Zaria riots, where people were killed based on ethnic identity. AAccording to him: “I was there during the Zaria riots when your crime was that you were Igbo People were being killed right before my eyes.”

Ashimolowo listed banditry, terrorism, land-grabbing armed invaders, kidnappings and the displacement of farming communities as the “heads” of Nigeria’s security crisis.

He said some past extremist teachings and attacks on Christian communities amounted to clear attempts at religious cleansing.

Citing several incidents–including the killings in Southern Kaduna, the murder of evangelist Eunice in Abuja, and the killing of Deborah Samuel–he repeatedly questioned whether Nigeria was confronting what he described as a coordinated pattern of violence.

He also referenced claims by late Dr Obadiah Mailafia that security agents often arrived only after attackers had fled, adding concerns over alleged “mysterious helicopters” supplying weapons.

shimolowo warned that downplaying the crisis only emboldens perpetrators.

By Tiamiyu Prudence Arobani

Nigeria on Tuesday expressed concerns over the decision of the U.S. to exclude it from participating in the U.S. rapper Nicki Minaj event on alleged killings of Nigerians of a specific faith group.

The Charge d’Affaires, Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN, Mr Syndoph Endoni, said the decision to exclude Nigeria from the discussion, which held at the UN headquarters in New York, amounted to “shaving our head in our absence”.

The Minaj event, which held at the UN headquarters in New York in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of the U.S. to the UN, was against the background of the ongoing accusation by the U.S. alleging Christian persecution in Nigeria.

U.S. President Donald Trump had recently designated Nigeria as “a Country of Particular Concern” over alleged Christian genocide in the country.

The Nigerian envoy, however, refuted the ongoing accusations by the U.S. authorities alleging Christian genocide in Nigeria, which the Nigerian authorities have severally rejected.

“It is important to ensure the country concerned in the ongoing allegations of genocide against Christians, is present, aware and has a voice in the matter.

“This is because, you should not make important decisions or take action on something that involves a country without their presence or consent.”

Endoni said by refusing Nigeria participation, the U.S. authorities had denying Nigeria the right and opportunity to tell its own side of the story.

The Nigerian envoy expressed disappointment that a few countries were allowed participation at the event, querying the rationale for shutting Nigeria out.

He said, “We asked the U.S. authorities if it was okay to continue to shave someone’s hair in his absence.

“We further highlighted that the Nigerian government is not standing idly by to watch the atrocities perpetrated by the criminals”.

In addition, the Nigerian envoy stressed that both countries can jointly solve the insecurity problems in Nigeria only if they work together.

Endoni urged the U.S. to ensure inclusive engagements to avoid undue escalation over claims of persecution of Christians in Nigeria.

U.S. Senior Advisor for African Affairs, Amb. Patricia Mahoney had visited the Nigeria House in New York on Monday to intimate Syndoph about Minaj event.

At the meeting, the U.S. representative informed Nigeria that three UN Member Countries were invited with other personalities, including a pastor from Nigeria.

However, she informed that no representative of the Nigerian government, including from the Permanent Mission of Nigeria to the UN, was invited.

According to him, the U.S. envoy informed that the event was a private event.

The Nigerian envoy expressed concerns over the U.S.’ actions of naming and shaming, saying it is capable of causing apprehensions in the country.

The main reason Nigeria was denied participation was to honour the participants specific request not to allow Nigerian officials for fears of retribution for them and their families.

However, the envoy said the Nigerian authorities would continue to engage their U.S. counterparts over the killings by extremists and to collaborate to protect lives and property in Nigeria.

“No group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion”

Nicki Minaj, whose real name is Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty, had at the event insisted that no group should ever be persecuted for practicing their religion” adding, “we don’t have to share the same beliefs in order for us to respect each other.

She also said practicing a different religion “should not make anybody feel less safe”.

“It’s about what I’ve always stood for my entire career and I will continue to stand for that for the rest of my life,” she said.

Referring to the U.S., Minaj expressed gratitude that “we live in a country where she can freely and safely worship God regardless of one’s creed, religion or politics”.

“Music has taken me around the globe. I have seen how people, no matter their language, culture or religion, come alive when they hear a song that touches their soul,” she said.

“Religious freedom means we all can sing our faith regardless of who we are, where we live, and what we believe.

“But today, faith is under attack in way too many places.”

The rapper called for political action in Nigeria.

She thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for the urgent action “to combat extremism and to bring a stop to violence against those who simply want to express their natural right to freedom of religion or belief.”

She acknowledged “faith leaders, peace builders, those who saw violence, saw rising intolerance, saw the threats clearly before others and chose not to look the other way”.

“I am inspired by their works to build inter-faith ties, to see that humanity across the line which might divide us and to fight for security and liberty for all those who pray”.

U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz commended Minaj for using her platform as an entertainer to spotlight the crisis in Nigeria. (NAN)

Popular Nigerian rapper, Omoniyi Temidayo Raphael, widely known as Zlatan Ibile, has revealed a strictly business-oriented reason for his reluctance to invest capital in up-and-coming musical talents.

Speaking boldly on the Adesope Live show, the “Zanku” crooner stated that, for him, the music industry is fundamentally about financial stability, leading him to view investments in untested artists as an excessive risk.

“I will rather go buy a house rather than put money on these artistes that I’m not sure will be successful or not,” Zlatan declared, emphasizing the uncertainty of the venture.

The artist explained that his primary motivation for making music is to secure his financial future and maintain stability, especially after experiencing professional pressure and anxiety earlier in his career.

“The reason I am making music is for financial stability. My goal is to be able to be responsible and financially stable. In the beginning of my career, I wasn’t balanced. I suffered from pressure and anxieties,” he shared.

While ruling out significant financial investment, Zlatan stressed that he is still committed to supporting new talents through collaboration.

He noted that he is willing to feature on their tracks and assist them in their growth, pointing out that he received similar vital support from established artists during his own rise to fame.

The federal government has started a nationwide diabetes screening and training program using the locally made OnPoint Blood Glucose Monitoring System from Colexa Biosensor Ltd.

The program began this week in the North Central zone, training health officials at primary healthcare centers (PHCs). It will eventually cover all 774 local government areas, aiming to screen five million Nigerians.

Dr. Alayo Sopekan, the national desk officer for diabetes at the Federal Ministry of Health, said diabetes is one of the fastest-growing health problems in Nigeria. He stressed that early diagnosis is very important, as many Nigerians may have diabetes without knowing it.

The initiative is designed to make diagnosis easier, reduce costs, and strengthen local healthcare capacity.

Colexa Biosensor praised the government for choosing a local company for the program. Managing Director Pharm. Kingsley Aguoru said this partnership shows confidence in Nigeria’s manufacturing abilities and confirms the company’s commitment to providing reliable tools for early diabetes detection and long-term care.

Northern women under the umbrella of Voices for Inclusion and Equity for Women (VIEW) have denounced the abduction of schoolgirls from Government Girls Comprehensive Senior Secondary School, Maga, in Kebbi State.

They called it a grave failure of leadership and a fresh assault on the nation’s conscience.

In a strongly worded statement signed by Asmau Joda, Maryam Uwais, Mairo Mandara, Aisha Oyebode, Fatima Akilu, Kadaria Ahmed, Larai Ocheja Amusan and Ier Jonathan-Ichaver, the group condemned the weekend attack in which armed men stormed the school at dawn, killed the Vice Principal and kidnapped 25 students.

VIEW said the incident reflects the Nigerian State’s persistent inability to protect vulnerable children, stressing that the mass abduction “is not simply another security incident” but evidence of years of broken promises under the Safe Schools Initiative.

The women noted that despite the national trauma from the Chibok, Dapchi, Jangebe and other mass abductions, schools across the North remain dangerously exposed.

Many of the signatories were active in the Bring Back Our Girls movement and have long worked with communities devastated by insecurity.

“More than a decade after repeated tragedies, Northern Nigeria is still one of the most dangerous places in the world for a girl to pursue an education,” they said, adding that “Our daughters are once again missing. And we must ask, with pain, anger and clarity, where are our leaders?”

VIEW accused political and security leaders of failing to defend girls who already face cultural and economic disadvantages.

They warned that the recurring kidnappings raise troubling questions about whether neglect is deepening the marginalisation of northern girls.

The coalition demanded swift, intelligence-led rescue operations and daily public updates, cautioning against the slow and disjointed responses that have marked previous tragedies.

It also urged visible action from the President, the First Lady, the Kebbi State Governor, the Northern Governors’ Forum, the Northern Senators’ Forum, the Arewa caucuses in the National Assembly, traditional institutions, faith leaders and all security chiefs.

“This is not a moment for silence or excuses. The abduction of the Maga girls must be treated as a national emergency–not a political talking point,” the group insisted, adding that “Every moment these girls spend in captivity deepens their trauma and increases the danger they face.”

“No nation can claim to value its future while abandoning its daughters to violence,” the statement read.

“The girls of Maga must be located, rescued and reunited with their families without delay. Their return is a test of our leadership and our humanity.”

Forests in Gujarat which had been bereft of tiger for more than three decades, have witnessed the presence of one.

For the first time in 32 years, a male Royal Bengal tiger has taken up permanent residence in the state, marking a historic ecological event.

According to India Today, forest officials have confirmed that a male tiger has been living in the Ratan Mahal Wildlife Sanctuary in Dahod district for the past nine months.

Gujarat, best known as the last abode of the Asiatic lion, now joins the rare list of Indian states hosting all three major species of big cats, lion, leopard, and tiger.

The Indian based online magazine quoted Forest Minister Arjun Modhwadia as describing the development as a proud moment for the state, emphasising that Gujarat’s diverse ecosystems are once again proving capable of supporting complex wildlife populations.

According to senior forest officials, the tiger, estimated to be about five years old, was first spotted in the border areas of Ratan Mahal, adjoining the Jhabua and Kathiwada regions of Madhya Pradesh.

These adjacent forests have seen a strong rise in tiger numbers over recent years.

Officials believe the animal may have migrated naturally, seeking a new territory as populations in Madhya Pradesh expanded.

Since the initial sighting nine months ago, the Gujarat Forest Department has monitored the tiger continuously using camera traps and field teams.

Officials have now released clear photographic evidence confirming its sustained presence within Ratan Mahal’s dense forests.

Unlike earlier transient sightings in the 1980s and early 2000s, this tiger has stayed within Gujarat’s boundaries for an extended period, an indicator of favourable habitat conditions, the magazine reported.

It quoted wildlife experts as saying that the development underlines the success of regional corridor connectivity between Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

President Bola Tinubu has suspended his planned departure to Johannesburg and Luanda for the G20 Summit and the AUEU Summit, opting to remain in Abuja for further security briefings on two major national tragedies.

The tragedies are the abduction of schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the deadly bandit attack on Christian worshippers in Eruku, Kwara State.

The President, according to a statement issued on Wednesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, took the decision after receiving urgent reports from security agencies and an appeal from Kwara State Governor for immediate reinforcement.

In a decisive move, President Tinubu ordered the deployment of additional security personnel to Eruku and the entire Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State.

He also directed the police to launch a full-scale operation to track down the bandits responsible for attacking members of the Christ Apostolic Church.

The statement revealed that the President was set to leave Abuja for South Africa on Wednesday to attend the 20th G20 Summit of Leaders, before proceeding to Angola for the 7th AUEU Summit.

However, the escalating security situation compelled him to “suspend his departure.”

Tinubu is also awaiting updates from Vice President Kashim Shettima, who visited Kebbi State on Wednesday to commiserate with families of the kidnapped schoolgirls and to assess on-the-ground operations.

The President reaffirmed his directive to security agencies, insisting that everything possible must be done to rescue the 24 abducted schoolgirls and ensure their safe return.

He emphasised that the attacks in both Kwara and Kebbi represent an intolerable assault on innocent citizens, adding that government will not relent until the perpetrators are captured and prosecuted.

The statement added: “President Tinubu reiterates his directive to the security agencies to do everything possible to rescue the 24 schoolgirls abducted by the bandits and bring the girls back home, safe.”

United States President Donald Trump has revealed that his son, Barron Trump, is a big fan of football star Cristiano Ronaldo.

Trump said this on Tuesday night while hosting a dinner at the White House, where Ronaldo was one of the invited guests. The dinner was organized in honour of the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Salman.

Ronaldo, captain of Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League, attended the event with his fiancee, Georgina Rodriguez. The 40-year-old football legend wore a black tuxedo and sat near top figures like billionaire Elon Musk and US Vice President JD Vance.

During his speech, Trump mentioned Ronaldo and talked about how Barron had met him earlier.

“This room has many of the world’s biggest leaders in business and sports,” Trump said. “My son is a big fan of Ronaldo. Barron got to meet him, and I think he respects me a bit more now because I introduced him to you. Thank you both for being here.”

Ronaldo recently received a red card in Portugal’s World Cup qualifying match against Ireland and missed their next game against Armenia. Despite this, Portugal won and secured their place in the 2026 World Cup, which will take place in the USA, Mexico, and Canada.

At the ongoing COP 30 climate conference in Brazil, Youth Climate Ambassador Kayinajah Inyang said at a high-level side event that climate change is escalating the communal clashes between farmers and herdsmen in Nigeria.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Inyang, who was recently recognized by Forbes as an “African Environmentalist to Watch,” released a statement condemning the recent surge in terrorist attacks in Nigeria and called for national unity against terrorism.

At the high-level side event, which focused on climate-induced migration and conflict, he attributed a significant part of the communal clashes between Nigerian communities and herdsmen to the effects of climate change.

In his analysis, Inyang detailed how escalating desertification and persistent drought across Nigeria’s northern regions and the broader Sahel have drastically depleted the availability of arable land and water resources. This severe environmental pressure compels primarily Fulani herdsmen to migrate significantly further south than their customary routes in search of adequate pasture and water for their livestock. This increased southward trajectory often encroaches upon the agricultural holdings of local farming communities in the Middle Belt, triggering intense competition for dwindling resources.

Inyang asserted that this resource competition forms the underlying cause that is being exploited and weaponized, which fuels the deadly farmer-herder conflicts that have resulted in the displacement of hundreds of thousands of individuals.

He emphasized that without immediate, large-scale climate adaptation and mitigation policies, these resource-driven conflicts are destined to intensify, further exacerbating Nigeria’s complex security landscape.

Separately, in a somber statement issued from the sidelines of COP 30, Inyang conveyed his deep distress regarding the recent spate of terrorist attacks in Nigeria.

“My heart aches over the abduction of the 25 schoolgirls in Kebbi State and the devastating attack on the church in Kwara State,” the Youth Climate Ambassador’s statement read. “I pray for the swift and safe return of every abducted child and extend my profound condolences to the families of the victims of the Kwara church attack and to all those who have suffered the loss of loved ones.”

He also honored the nation’s fallen service members: “I also mourn the lives of our brave soldiers who have fallen in the line of duty, and I pray for strength, courage, and protection for all our troops currently serving on the frontlines.”

In a call for national cohesion, the Youth Ambassador cautioned against narratives of division. “It is vital that we remember our shared identity: before we are Christians, Muslims, traditional worshippers, or atheists, we are, first and foremost, Nigerians,” he stressed. “We must not allow any foreign agenda or divisive narrative to succeed in turning us against one another. Christians are not under attack by Muslims, and Muslims are not under attack by Christians; Nigerians are under attack by terrorists.” Inyang concluded with a message of optimism, stating his “strong faith that Mr President (Tinubu), the entire government, and the armed forces are doing everything in their power to protect every citizen and restore lasting peace to our beloved country.”

Kayinajah Inyang is recognized for his pivotal role in helping African environmental and climate tech firms secure vital funding, effectively directing financial resources toward high-impact environmental, climate, and sustainability solutions.

Mr. Inyang consistently represents the voice of African youth at major climate conferences, from COP 27 through COP 29.

At COP 30, he is spearheading efforts to drive African youth participation and is supporting the UNFCCC and the COP 30 Presidency in achieving their engagement goals.

Furthermore, he works closely with the entire UN system and is the host of the COP 30 Live Blog, providing delegates and the public with real-time updates, key insights, and exclusive behind-the-scenes glimpses to offer a comprehensive overview of the event’s discussions, decisions, and outcomes.

Nigerian comedian and skitmaker, Officer Woos, has cried out over the worsening insecurity in the country, revealing that his family has been directly affected after his mother’s only brother disappeared without a trace.

The comic actor shared the heartbreaking news via his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday, stating that his uncle went missing a month ago while returning home.

According to him, the situation has left his family devastated, as all efforts to locate the missing man have been unsuccessful.

He wrote:

“My mom’s only blood brother has been missing for a month now.

He was on his way home and never got home. For how long are we going to continue living like this? Scary times.”

Officer Woos lamented that Nigerians now live in constant fear as a result of terrorism and the general state of insecurity nationwide.

His post has since stirred reactions online, with many sympathizing with his family and expressing concern over the rising cases of disappearances across the country.

Several Nigerian celebrities have also spoken out about the rising wave of attacks.

Nollywood actress Funke Akindele condemned the recent assault on worshippers in a Kwara church, expressing deep sorrow over the viral footage.

She wrote on X:

“Woke up to see a livestream video of people being attacked inside a church in Kwara. This is sad and disturbing. I wept seeing that old woman who couldn’t walk well running for safety.”